To wear them properly you have to be a French farmer and drive a Citreon 2CV.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=REQHhyT1mHs

But for the rest of us …. I  have to agree that they just look wrong with any outfit that has any pretensions of smartness or Ivyness. I’m not even sure why John Simons sells them really apart from some link with the French Look. They are something of an aberration, they are workwear even though they have been around many years before that term was applied to sturdy casual clothes. For me they only seem to work with a decidedly casual get up. Definitely jeans are okay with Michaels, maybe cords, preferably topped off with a combat jacket, peacoat, dufflecoat, shetland - Rugged Ivy perhaps?  They are warm and comfortable for longer walks around the city. A shoe to be savoured during the colder months, although Tim reports wearing them in the summer with no socks - a revelation that shocked me to the core. Despite all the blah about Norwegian stitching both the pairs I’ve owned leaked in  the rain. But I will continue to wear them and enjoy the odd moment when you encounter someone else wearing some- and you get the look and the nod.

Last edited by FlatSixC (2022-09-29 14:03:21)

I think the problem is the tweed jacket. Feels too formal with a more casual soled shoe.
I would think the heavier sole would demand some Vetra cords, a pea coat and maybe a watch cap.
I’m sure there is a Robert Redford look that comes to mind.
Chambray shirt and Shetland would also look great.
Dark denim rather than any thing faded.
The LLBean barn coat works too.
The look is far more New England than New Bond Street.

I wore a pair of Michaels yesterday for my six-weekly meeting with an old schoolmate of mine.  Tweed Keydge, battered old Ralph button down, ankle-swinging dark denim, Anonymous ism socks, cord cap. Not sure whether it worked but I looked completely different to everybody else in the pub. Conversation: Sport, music, football, politics, clothes, family. Just swap the family bit for the girls in our class and we coukd have been back in 1970...

Plenty of sparky ideas there. I think the problem may just be the strangeness of the shape on my feet, and the weight of the shoe. All my other shoes are rather refined but the Paraboot is the ugly-beautiful Jean-Paul Belmondo of the classic shoe world. It demands a certain swagger, a confident stride, a bold demeanour. I need to grow a pair of cojones and get out there and wow the kids with my weird shoes.

Hello,

White trahseez is the problem - not footwear.

Unable to login at home. In library at the moment.

Alvey - I have the same problem as you with Para's, I too have the deck shoe/loafer ( from Stuart's as JS didn't have my size), and even with my knackered feet they are very comfortable, I tried on a pair of Michaels when I was in Stuart's, ( early last year), and they seemed too chunky for me, I've been considering the Avignon, I should have tried a pair ( for future reference), when I was in CS 2-3 weeks ago, this reminded me that a while ago I'd been looking at a Cheaney shoe ' Chiswick' which is a ' Gibson' like the Avignon , unfortunately they seem to be currently out of production, on the ' outlet' section of the Cheaney website they have the 'Deal Derby in Mohogany Grain Leather' ( dainite sole), on offer for £100 off,(most sizes I think),  I have a pair of these from John Rushton's around 6 years ago, lovely shoe, £100 off looks a great deal to me .....

There’s no denying the chunky nature of Michaels, frankly they look a bit out of place with a tailored jacket and trousers and work better with a rugged casual look, say jeans and a peacoat. They definitely improve with age and get increasingly comfortable, the problem is that your feet get used to it!  The Avignons are a bit more dressy and I have worn them with a suit for work, the suede ones are particularly good.

Overall, I love the quality and sturdiness of Paraboots, the rubber soles are indefatigable making them an excellent winter shoe. I can’t deal with the fright factor of leather soled shoes on slippery surfaces just to look good.

Modern Draper have a Black Friday deal going on including Paraboots, around 20% discount, so around 70 something quid off, don’t usually see discounts on Paraboots unless they’re oddments,I didn’t go for Paraboots but ordered a pair of Astorflex green flex @ £108 and free shipping, these are basically replacements for a pair coming to the end of their time, in a couple of years I’ll probably wished I’d ordered 2 pairs !

Wear them with heavy cords on the baggy side, maybe blue jeans.

For the Levi’s Whites pair them with with sneakers or perhaps with loafers or desert boots.

Last year on a family trip to Paris I discovered we were staying close to a Paraboot store.

Having done some homework there were some college style loafers in the current collection. Brighton if I recall.

Off I ventured, warmed by Cognac for breakfast, Euro's in hand with Mrs Singer who whilst fluent in French really can't see what all the fuss is about.

I know upon entering the store I'll be on the receiving end of "Having you already got something similar."

The Brighton loafers are nice but come up a little to high on my foot but Mrs Singer spots the chunky Reims loafers.

"These are a bit different. Why don't you try a pair on."

Obviously being a gentleman, who never likes to disappoint a lady, I agree and hey presto some five minutes later I own a lovely pair of brown pair Reims.

The challenge of what to wear with such a chunky shoe quickly becomes apparent. Trousers that break slightly over normal loafers look too short due to the chunky sole. Also, any trousers too narrow creates a Max Wall look. You can't wear a normal jacket with them as the contrast is too stark.

I have found that they work really well with navy cords, dark denim, my Vetra Curly Wurly chore jacket, heavier belts ( not surcingle) and chambray and cord button downs.I top the look off with a black watch scarf and navy melton cap that in my eyes is reminiscent of a beret.

You have to adopt a more French rather than college/60's look.

I also spotted some older French chaps were wearing chunky soled Para's with tweed trousers, Loden overcoats and long flowing scarves.

Staxfan - I can’t really comment on the Adonis loafer, I have an old vintage pair with leather soles but they’ve changed since the rubber soles were introduced.

Alvey - ‘ Last year on a family trip to Paris I discovered we were staying close to a Paraboot store.’

I do agree about the issues of wearing chunky sole Paraboots, they don’t work with tight leg jeans or trousers - which I have not worn for some years anyway. I am fond of the French Look you refer to, I don’t own a Loden coat but I do have a couple of long overcoats. Paraboots also work well with a duffle coat. They are my go-to winter shoe.

When in Paris I’m enthused with Frenchness and always drawn to go into a Paraboot store if I see one. Their lines rarely change but it’s always nice to see them all on display. We were there in April last year and went into one near the Bois de Bouloigne. The shop was run by a mature, very helpful, friendly, statuesque and attractive  French lady. As she knelt down to assist me in trying on some Rheims loafers I had to direct my gaze upwards due to the low cut sweater she was wearing, notwithstanding the fact that I was under the scrutiny of Mrs Flat Six

As a committed Parabootaphile I’ve always fancied the Rheims loafer. Their shoes are of course made with different lasts, while the Michael and the Avignon fit me perfectly, the Chambord moc toe were very uncomfortable - for me. With the Rheims, for some reason, I seem to fall between two sizes, even a half size didn’t work for me. Loafers must fit me now, too often I’ve made the mistake of suffering by trying trying to wear them too tight or trying to wear insoles in shoes that were too loose and felt as though they were about to fall off.

Having tried on three sizes of Rheims loafer unsuccessfully I felt it was really time to move on, although I could have happily stayed much longer.

My issue with the Rheims is that they have stretched. Soft leather has flexed.

I went to three different stores trying on various shoes in attempt to get the best fit